Newsstand: March 11, 2014

He’s my boyfriend, he’s your boyfriend, he’s everyone’s boyfriend. Congratulations to George Stroumboulopoulos, who is the new face of Hockey Night In Canada—but seriously, though, he’s mostly my boyfriend… In the news: Morgan Baskin is an 18-year-old high-school student who wants to be the next mayor of Toronto, Toronto’s presence at SXSW underwhelms this year even after that alliance our city formed with the City of Austin, security improvements will be made at York University in the wake of a double campus shooting, and snow—like the weather, not the '90s rapper—isn’t through with us yet.

Toronto, meet mayoral candidate Morgan Baskin. Baskin, 18, is a student at Inglenook Community High School who filed her nomination paperwork at the end of February to officially enter the mayoral race. Considered politically left of centre, Baskin launched a website with an outline of her platform that includes making transit expansion a top priority, as well making the culture at City Hall more supportive of teamwork. While it may not be anything new under the sun when it comes to campaign promises, it somehow seems a little less nauseating when it comes from the mind of someone who hasn’t yet been corrupted by the power of politics, doesn’t it? When asked about her chances of pulling off a victory as a fringe candidate, Baskin seems hopeful, saying, “I think it’s a possibility. We elected someone who’s done a whole bunch of illegal things. Why not elect someone who is 18.”

It looks like movies are the new music. On the heels of Mayor Rob Ford’s visit to Los Angeles to promote the Toronto film industry—by way of an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live—music industry sources are saying that Toronto has a low official profile at this year’s South by South West in Austin, Texas, despite having inked a “music city” alliance with the American city in 2013. While performing acts are well represented this year—as they always tend to be—the only official City of Toronto event is an afternoon showcase taking place this Saturday at the Canadian Independent Music Association’s “Canada House” headquarters. Only one representative from the City’s 30-member music advisory committee is on the ground at SXSW in an official capacity. Film commissioner Randy McLean is in Austin, currently subbing in on the music front until the City forms an official music office with its own commissioner to lead future delegations. Toronto music industry insiders largely blame slow-moving bureaucracy for the lack of tangible forward movement since signing the deal with Austin five months ago. “I think a lot of times bureaucracies like to work from the top down, but with something like this I think it might be more effective to work from the foundation up, from the actual events and the actual people and the guys on the ground making stuff happen,” says Mike Tanner, director of operations for Toronto’s North by Northeast festival. Well, if the embarrassing results of Mayor Ford’s questionable foray into film industry promotion are any indication, SXSW may indeed be better left to the more capable hands of industry experts.

While many questions remain unanswered about the York University Keele campus shooting that left two sisters injured, on Monday, York University president and vice-chancellor Mamdouh Shoukri issued a letter aimed at assuaging any fear within the student body. In it, Shoukri stated that university officials will be meeting with Toronto Police to review last week’s shooting, and to receive recommendations about how to improve campus security. Shoukri also called for meetings with the York University Student Centre about increasing camera surveillance around the area. Security patrols have already been increased in the wake of the shooting and will continue for a week, at which time the increased presence will be reevaluated.

Finally, let’s rip the bandage off and scream bloody murder, since Mother Nature is about to dump more snow on our heads. Although the total snowfall amount is still up in the air, meteorologists anticipate anywhere from between 5 to 15 centimetres falling across the GTA and Southern Ontario beginning tomorrow.